


Complexities

by Nicxan



Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-14 23:09:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16050482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicxan/pseuds/Nicxan
Summary: Their relationship wasn't always this confusing. Once in a while, he'd get nostalgic.





	Complexities

Eric’s life used to be so easy. He ached for those simpler times, where he could actually catch William’s attention.

It started with quick chats off of the clock. Eric had called William, asking a few questions about the work that needed to be done. They only took a minute. Over time, it turned into hours chatting and laughing without pause. Eric started to find excuses to call for the smallest things, just so he could hear William's smooth, melodic voice over the telephone.

Not that he would have admitted that at the time.

When William had invited him out for a night of dancing, Eric had been so embarrassed. He struggled to speak ... then settled on an ecstatic, stammered ‘yes’. The endeared smile on William’s face had made his heart melt.

It had been a wonderful night. He recalled how the lights in the club shone and how they seemed to light up William's beautiful blue eyes. He could remember the feeling of one of his boss' hands on the small of his back as he pulled them around on the dance floor, a small smirk on his face all the while. Eric felt his heart skip a beat, and he almost missed that William had started talking.  
  
_“For someone who loves to dance as much as you, I had assumed you’d be the one leading me around.”_  
  
_“I’m -- I’m not used to dancing with someone else, heh.”_  
_  
_ _“What a shame. We’ll just have to come back, then, so you_ can _get used to it._ ”

He'd snuck them out the back when it got late, Eric failing to disguise his laughter when they rushed through rooms they weren't supposed to be in. William's car wasn't exactly as fancy as it could have been; most of the money he made went right back into improving his company. It was one of the little things that he admired about the man. Most business owners would be much more reckless.

Not William, though. He had always been meticulous about every little detail in his life. Maybe that should have been a warning sign from the beginning. All Eric could care about, though, were the sweet things that William whispered in his ear when they were finally alone. They didn't feel calculated. They felt natural, and his voice made his promises sound like liquid velvet.  
  
_“I think we could make this work.”_  
  
_“You -- you think?”_  
  
_“I do. I’m here, with you, now ... and I don’t want to be anywhere else. I just hope you feel the same way.”_  
  
_“What, uh, yeah. I mean, yeah, I do, you’re really great, and I--”_  
  
“ _Shh. Show me how you feel instead, Eric._ ”  
  
That kiss under the stars simply felt magical. There was no one like William Afton, Eric had decided. No one would ever be as lucky as him.

For the longest time, he had stayed on cloud nine, floating from place to place with a stupid smile on his face. William clearly loved him, and he loved William. What else was there to think about? He looked forward to their moments alone and every little touch and smile that came with those precious seconds. It felt intoxicating.

He should have been more careful.

Looking back now, maybe he shouldn't have been so accepting of the times William would hole  himself up in his office and not let him in - not after Eric had permission to just walk inside for as long as he did. Eric chalked it up to nerves about the re-branding and moved on. He'd be just as twitchy if _his_ business had fallen through, right? Everything was riding on this.

It was fine.

William had gotten snippier over time, something he claimed to not be proud of. Eric trusted him and forced a smile. Every time, he'd reassure William that it was all right. It wasn't, though; William would snap at him again and claim stress. It was always stress.

It was still fine.

They never went out anymore after the grand re-opening. William was just so, so busy; he didn't have time for too much outside of the business. He took time to remind Eric of that every time he asked to head out for a night. When Eric started to protest, he paused once he saw the coldness behind William's eyes. He turned and left the apartment.

William didn't even try to stop him. He didn't receive an apology. Nothing.

Eric started to tip-toe around him, nervous to say anything out of line. One wrong word and he'd be harshly reminded of what was at stake, and how neither of them had time to relax with everything going on. William had spent so much time at the office, and he had to, he claimed. " _Why you can't respect this is, quite honestly, beyond me,_ " William always said.

A part of him almost wished that things _had_ failed. At least he'd have time with his boyfriend. Were they boyfriends? He didn't know anymore. A heaviness filled his heart, though he didn't dare say anything.

Things were going to be _fine_.  
  
Then, the murders happened.

William had been oddly calm about it, looking back. It hadn’t been noticeable at the time; he had finally pulled Eric in for a hug after so, so long. Eric had simply leaned into the embrace, sobbing openly and babbling about the tragedy, and how could someone do such a thing, who would murder children? He took the comfort offered to him. William had let one hand rest on the small of his back, just like he used to do. He ran his fingers through his hair in silence.

Eric wished desperately for soothing words, just to hear his voice as soft as it had been in the beginning, but didn't dare say anything. Despite that, he felt reassured.

It was the last time he felt safe with him.  
  
Things continued to spiral, though he wasn't sure how. When asked about his love life, he didn't know how to answer. “ _Things are sort of complicated, but it’ll work out,_ ” he’d claim with a smile. It almost became a mantra to him, especially when the newest location shuttered within a few weeks after the murders.  
  
He stopped going out. He stopped bothering to talk to William off of the clock. Eric would finish his shifts, go home, and collapse onto the bed. What else was there to do, with so much relying on them all? If William couldn’t take a break, Eric had to at least support him through everything.  
  
William had started to lament the fact that no one would apply for the night shift. Eric immediately offered to take it, just to ease one of the burdens. William barely even looked at him when he said ‘thank you’. His heart shattered.  
  
His first shift was tomorrow. Eric didn’t know how to feel, aside from a deep loneliness and a desperate need to please his ... boyfriend? Boss? His head swam in confusion, but he brushed it off.  
  
His life wasn’t simple, but at least his job would be. He’d just have to focus and make William proud. Once the dust settled, he’d be so proud of him. They’d surely start going out again and rekindle the relationship they had. It mattered to the both of them.  
  
Right?  
  
Right.  
  
Things would be fine.


End file.
